Ingredient

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ingredient

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the chemical interaction?Ingredients undergo chemical reactions like the Maillard reaction, affecting flavor and color
2. What is the nutritional foundation?Provide essential macronutrients (carbs, proteins, fats) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals)
3. How do ingredients change when we cook them?When we heat or mix ingredients, they can react, like the Maillard reaction that browns meat and bread, or emulsification that mixes oil and water into sauces.
4. Why do people care about where ingredients come from?Ingredients from certain places, like single‑origin coffee or special cheeses, can taste better and help farmers earn more money. The history of trade shows how spices traveled on the Silk Road and how new foods like potatoes arrived from the Americas.

Maillard Reaction: A chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned food its distinctive flavor.
Emulsification: The process of mixing two liquids that normally do not mix, like oil and water, to form a stable mixture.
Proprietary Knowledge: Information or a secret that is owned by a company and gives it a competitive advantage.
Functional Ingredients: Ingredients that provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition, such as probiotics or antioxidants.